In the past collage photographs have been made in photographic laboratories by exposing film to pre-photographed images grouped together. Such post-exposure laboratory processing however does not satisfy the needs for instant photographs where prints are made right after film exposure. Laboratory processing also adds expense even where non-instant type film processing is involved. It is usually more desirable therefore to produce a collage photograph with an instant camera of the type that itself can produce prints.
As a result of the foregoing cameras, particularly instant-type cameras, and camera accessories have recently been developed that are capable of producing collage prints. For example, an instant camera attachment for superimposing graphics such as labels on a photograph is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,144. Here a transparent template bearing opaque letters is positioned over a sheet of photographic film within an instant camera such that images of the letters are recorded along with objects within the camera field of view when a photograph is made. While this device is useful for labeling, it cannot be used to produce a collage photograph wherein various images are isolated on selected portions of the photograph. U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,930 illustrates an extension of this photograph labeling apparatus wherein light from a flash unit is diffused into a tubular area surrounding the camera field of view so that a light modulated background can be added to a photographed scene. While this device can produce a light or colored background for an entire photograph, it too is not capable of producing a collage photograph with separate and distinct images. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,106 an auxiliary device is provided for an instant camera for use in holding prerecorded images in various positions so that selected areas of a film strip may be exposed in sequence to form a collage. This however effectively transfers the tedious work that previously had been performed in a film laboratory to the photographer.